Tulare Western High School Newspaper

Every Vote Counts!

2016 is a difficult year for voters of all ages, races, and political beliefs. This year’s candidates make it really hard for Americans to choose a leader and look forward to the future.

Many people are so stuck on who to chose that they have come to the decision to simply not vote. However, with this decision, they’re relinquishing all the power to the people who are voting.

There was once a time when people fought physically and verbally to have the right to vote. They laid down their lives so that others like them and future generations would get a say in the way they were being lead.

When the government was first created, the only people allowed to vote were white men with land. This usually left the power to the wealthy men. The decisions for a while were left to them and America was run the way that benefited them.

When the slaves were finally free, many unfair barriers were put in place to make sure they wouldn’t vote and have a voice in their government. Some of these laws included the grandfather clause and literacy tests. Once they pushed through all of those obstacles, they exercised their rights because after fighting for them so long, they knew they deserved them.

War was upon America and young men were being drafted and most assuredly killed in the war. The problem was, they couldn’t vote against being drafted because the legal minimum age to vote was 21. So they struggled and fought for their voice, until finally they won. At last, the youth had a voice and they could choose not to fight.

Once citizens of all races and young ages could vote, there was one thing left. It was women’s turn to step up and get what they naturally should have–the same rights as men. Women’s suffrage was a big issue then and it was a huge deal to include a woman’s opinion in anything especially something as important as the United States government. But they did it, and now, how many eligible women out there don’t vote, not because they can’t, but because they don’t really want to?

Nowadays, no one has to fight for their right to vote anymore, and yet people still don’t do it. The right that people fought and died for is just getting taken for granted these days. There are several reasons for this but shouldn’t everyone be making the biggest effort they possibly can? Despite what most people think, every vote does matter because there are always people who will have similar opinions and preferences. And there are so many people who think their vote won’t matter, that there ends up being significant amounts of discouraged voters. Another big issue is which candidate is the lesser evil?

Hillary lacks the trust of the people. Her past record shows that she’s done some seriously questionable things. Many don’t know whether or not she’d really have our best interests in mind.

Many feel Trump is a child in a man’s body. He offends so many people and doesn’t think about the effect his words will have on those he’s calling out. Donald has no filter just like a child.

So we have a shady Hillary and a baby Trump. What are Americans to do? Well, it’s just a suggestion but why don’t they look into other party candidates? There will be other choices on the ballot but since no one really knows of them, they’ll most likely go unnoticed.

No matter the discouragements, everyone that can is privileged to be able to vote and should do so as it was once yearned for.

Tulare Western High School

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